Decision Support System for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (cpr)

1. A decision support system for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for determination of whether to continue CPR, to change a CPR parameter or both, based upon CPR efficiency, the system comprising: a medical monitoring system configured to produce carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) waveforms representative of a concentration of CO 2 in exhaled breath of a subject undergoing CPR, wherein the CO 2 waveforms are generated using a capnograph comprising a CO 2 sensor; and a processor configured to: extract one or more features related to the CO 2 waveforms, wherein the one or more features comprises a shape of the CO 2 waveforms over time; and determine an EtCO 2 trend in the one or more extracted features related to the CO 2 waveforms, wherein the trend, together with one or more parameters/variables selected from any of one or more background parameters, one or more physiological variables comprising: pupils' size, changes in pupils' size, difference between the two pupils' size, gasping, sweating, body temperature, changes in body temperature, tremor, color, changes in color, presenting heart rhythm, administered medication during CPR, or any combination thereof, and one or more baseline parameters related to the subject undergoing CPR, is associated with CPR efficiency; and a display configured to display the trend and to display an indication of CPR efficiency.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the display is configured to display a CPR efficacy score associated with the CPR efficiency.

3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a mechanical chest compression device.

4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a chest impedance monitoring device.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to account for one or more background parameters to determine whether to continue CPR, to change a CPR parameter, or both, wherein the one or more background parameters comprises: the subject's gender, age, background disease, smoking habits, administered medication prior to CPR, prior administration of a layperson life support treatment, or any combination thereof.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to account for one or more physiological variables associated with the subject to determine whether to continue CPR, to change a CPR parameter, or both, wherein the one or more physiological variables comprises: pupils' size, changes in pupils' size, difference between the two pupils' size, gasping, sweating, body temperature, changes in body temperature, tremor, color, changes in color, presenting heart rhythm, administered medication during CPR, or any combination thereof.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to account for one or more baseline parameters to determine whether to continue CPR, to change a CPR parameter, or both, wherein the one or more baseline parameters comprises: cause of cardiac arrest, time of no-flow, time of low flow, cardiac arrest being witnessed or unwitnessed.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the shape of the CO 2 waveforms are shape factors selected from: up-rising slope of a CO 2 waveform, the extent of the up-rising slope, the shape of the up-rising slope, the down-stroke slope of a CO 2 waveform, the extent of the down stroke slope, the shape of the down stroke slope, or any combinations thereof.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to extract one or more features related to the CO 2 waveforms, wherein the one or more features comprises a shape of the CO 2 waveforms and a dimension of the CO 2 waveforms over time.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the dimension of the CO 2 waveforms are scale factors selected from: width of the waveform, time between sections of the waveform, amplitude, or any combinations thereof.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to apply a pattern recognition algorithm to identify recurring patterns within the trend.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the CPR parameter comprises compression frequency, depth of compression, CPR type, or any combination thereof.

13. The system of claim 2 , wherein the CPR efficiency score is a unit-less index value between 1 and 10, wherein 1 represents inefficient resuscitation and 10 represents most efficient resuscitation.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the processor is configured to correlate the recurring pattern with resuscitation of the subject.

15. A method for decision support during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), the method comprising: producing carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) waveforms representative of a CO 2 concentration in exhaled breath of a subject undergoing CPR, wherein the CO 2 waveforms are generated using a capnograph comprising a CO 2 sensor; extracting, using a processor, one or more features related to the CO 2 waveforms, wherein the one or more features comprises a shape factor of the CO 2 waveforms; determining, using the processor, an EtCO 2 trend in the one or more extracted features related to the CO 2 waveforms, wherein the trend is indicative of a medical status of the subject; determining, using the processor, an index value indicative of an efficiency of CPR based on the trend, together with one or more parameters/variables selected from any of one or more background parameters, one or more physiological variables comprising: pupils' size, changes in pupils' size, difference between the two pupils' size, gasping, sweating, body temperature, changes in body temperature, tremor, color, changes in color, presenting heart rhythm, administered medication during CPR, or any combination thereof, and one or more baseline parameters related to the subject undergoing CPR; and determining, using the processor, whether to continue CPR, to change a CPR parameter, or both based on the medical status of the subject and the index value.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the one or more features comprises a shape factor of the CO 2 waveforms and a scale factor of the CO 2 waveforms.

17. The system of claim 15 , further comprising displaying, on a display, the index value.

18. The method of claim 15 , further comprising treating the subject with a mechanical chest compression device and/or monitoring chest impedance during the CPR.

19. The method of claim 15 , the comprising accounting, using the processor, for one or more background parameters to determine whether to continue CPR, to change a CPR parameter, or both, wherein the one or more background parameters comprises: the subject's gender, age, background disease, smoking habits, administered medication prior to CPR, prior administration of a layperson life support treatment, or any combination thereof.

20. The method of claim 15 , comprising accounting, using the processor, for one or more physiological variables associated with the medical status of the subject to determine whether to continue CPR, to change a CPR parameter, or both, wherein the one or more physiological variables comprises: pupils' size, changes in pupils' size, difference between the two pupils' size, gasping, sweating, body temperature, changes in body temperature, tremor, color, changes in color, presenting heart rhythm, administered medication during CPR, or any combination thereof.

21. The method of claim 15 , comprising accounting, using the processor, for one or more baseline parameters related to the subject to determine whether to continue CPR, to change a CPR parameter, or both, wherein the one or more baseline parameters comprises: cause of cardiac arrest, time of no-flow, time of low flow, cardiac arrest being witnessed or unwitnessed.

22. The method of claim 15 , wherein the index value is between 1 and 10, wherein 1 represents inefficient resuscitation and 10 represents most efficient resuscitation.

23. The method of claim 15 , comprising identifying, using the processor, a recurring pattern in the trend.

24. The method of claim 23 , correlating the recurring pattern with the medical status of the subject.